An off-duty firefighter's chance encounter with a vehicle fire prevented a structure fire.
A Diamond Valley Fire Rescue senior firefighter observed a vehicle fire in the 900 block of 3rd St. SW in Diamond Valley at approximately 3:30 a.m. on Nov. 30.
The firefighter told the residents to evacuate, called 911 and then responded to the fire station, after which fire engines from Stations 2 and 3 responded along with the on-call duty chief.
On arrival, crews found a pick-up truck fully on fire, with flames spreading to the residential structure.
Firefighters made a fast and aggressive attack, which prevented the fire from spreading any further into the structure and limited damage to the attached garage.
The vehicle's full gas tank ruptured, releasing its fuel contents and causing a large flare-up of the fire. Firefighters remained on-scene for several hours to completely extinguish the fire.
People are advised to exercise caution in the area due to icy conditions caused by water used by firefighters.
Cold weather and the resulting icy conditions in the neighbourhood further challenged firefighters, and Town of Diamond Valley Public Works crews were on-site to assist to try and mitigate the poor weather conditions.
The cause of the fire is under investigation by the fire department but has been confirmed to not be suspicious in nature.
